Fire n Ice
by Nikosaur
Summary: Somethings the matter with the incorrigible Enji Todoroki. A chilly 'kaidan' (ghostie story)
1. Chapter 1 : Fuyumi's tales

**_Fire and Ice?_**

 ** _They don't mix!_**

 **Chapter 1 : Fuyumi's tales**

* * *

 _Authenticity subject to Fuyumi Todoroki's state of mind_...usually _nervous, hysterical and lacking faith in its power of recollection._

Anyway. Just what is going on with Todoroki Enji?

 _Relevant excerpts from her diary._

* * *

Dear diary,

Dad's gone berserk.

Again.

Mom wasn't there when it happened thank God. I haven't seen much of her since Shoto turned three.

When I went to fetch some sweets for my brother, I saw her in a long, long time. Properly. I thought it was a ghost. Mom was shivering in the kitchen yesterday where we both could hear dad slam the door. She's started to look. . . scary. Shes got more bruises than ever but the way she sometimes looks at dad-it isn't just fear.

Sometimes I'm more afraid of what mom might or could do than what dad does do.

Goodnight.

* * *

Dear diary,

Its been a few good many, many years since mom was admitted to the hospital. Dad went to see her though he kind of denied it. I don't get the point of denying it. I wonder what that was about?

Anyway...he had a nightmare last night. And he denied that too even though he was totally shivering in the morning after a mere run. Its just winter. Not something he can't handle.

Umm...

Why do I feel something is off?

I wish Shouto would cheer up. And I really wish those two came back home-i miss my lil brothers sooo much.

Oyasumi.

P.S. Maybe I totally flunked that interview but the little kids quite liked me. They're so sweet. Though 'they', the powers that be, think I'm a klutzy, rides-on-my-dads-fame arrogant ojou-san, the kids were real angels in my demo lesson. I totally won't lose to that Mrs Snake-neck. Her demo totally reminded me of dad. But, hurray-I _did_ something right! Dad even said he was proud though I _may_ have lied about the interview a little. I should ask him to take me to see mom this week. Hmm...

* * *

Dear Diary,

Shoto is doing better now that he goes to see mom ever so often.

Maybe, it is me. But dad just freaked out at an ice-cube in the tea I served him. He boiled it...and then drank it! Would it have killed him to just take it out?

I wonder...

I had made myself some too. It _is_ summer.

No kuzu mochi though. Uncle is late. Dad kept hunting around for some around the house every hour.

Sweet dreams!


	2. Chapter 2 : Wedding woes

**_When the devil comes a wooing..._**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 : Wedding Woes**

 _When power-hungry hero spotted spouting flames :_

 _1) Take cover behind a water hydrant. Or suitable area with sprinklers, water or sand availability._

 _2) Use authorized, fire department approved extinguishers._

 _3) Do not, I repeat, do not use your quirk._

* * *

I see these white walls, the trees outside the window, the blue sky, those birds flying around and everything is gray. I'm not fit to be a mother. A few months ago, I almost killed my own beloved Shouto.

And it's all that man's fault!

I was just minding my own business, how was I to know it would lead to this!

I wish just that one day in my life had not existed...

* * *

Todoroki Enji was at a loss. He kept facing a blank wall - there was no way he could match up to All Might in strength.

Well, literally as well, he faced a blank wall.

For some reason he chose to sit at this end of the room, his back to everyone else, sipping piping hot tea (though not hot enough for him) in a cafe waiting for...something. This was the first (and last) time he was breaking his routine. He needed to focus. And to do so, he needed a break from his schedule. And to have a break he needed a place not familiar to him - somewhere he wouldn't wish to train. And somewhere, trash didn't walk about in human form within his line of sight.

This cafe he passed by at times was good enough. So he felt. Noisy, irritating, sickly lethargic - everything that was the antithesis of his usual surroundings. And so he fell into deep thought.

He had a strong quirk - yet...his body had reached its limit. No matter how much he trained he could not increase his physical strength by much anymore. Also, his quirk was at a constant disadvantage, biased as it was towards a single element - fire. While he, Todoroki Enji, had almost complete control over his flames and an inexhaustible source of it, he _did_ cause damage that was entirely avoidable and useless. Not even collateral damage - it was a sheer waste of energy. Futile!

Furthermore, while his flames did not harm his body, he did happen to have an overheat limit. While his meticulous planning ensured smooth and easy victory without over-exertion, the time he did fight with a strong opponent or two out of the blue, he was close to shut-down. At this juncture, he should be on the lookout for a suitable sidekick...

Something splashed on his head and neck, dripping down his shirt. It was hot. Then ice cold.

And it froze.

And he froze.

Slowly he turned his head to look around - a crack resounded from his neck.

A woman shrieked.

The waitress who'd clumsily dropped hot latte on his neck...

To any normal person, they would have wanted to lay down at her feet - so beautiful was she. Even her dullness was innocence, her clumsiness graceful in a childish way.

To Todoroki Enji, he saw nothing beyond a clumsy woman who was profusely apologizing. This was unacceptable. So what if she spilled hot fluid on a customer? There were protocols...! Her using her quirk was uncalled for. It was a criminal offense.

And so on...he droned.

She hesitated, not sure what to say -

Todoroki's flames sprang up into the domino mask - he'd built it into a reflex almost, it looked intimidating.

She shrieked again.

And this time his face froze.

Stretching his mouth, he heard the ice around his jaws crack and slowly it cracked and cracked and crumbled away. As his flames once again warmed his face, he realized that to melt this ice he had to use intense heat.

Looking her up and down, this woman, around his age - she was quite unsuitable for the role of sidekick. For being a hero, in fact, it was impossible for her - what a waste of quirk.

The morning newspaper and an article in it suddenly came to the surface of his mind.

This could be it!

* * *

A month later, we were married.

I...I wasn't really sure but then, even had I taken my time to think about it, maybe he would have hounded us all that time. It wasn't that I didn't like him, I didn't dislike him either but...I just don't know.

I mean, I wasn't particularly good at anything so...there was no reason to not want the marriage. I was pretty but that was it. I had no confidence, no personality. I was too shy - the guy I liked, he'd end up taking a liking to my friend. There was no end to this. I had this quirk - ice, while it was strong, I hadn't the guts to be a hero. In the qualifier for the hero academy, I let everyone pass me by. I didn't regret it much - consoling myself, I may have made a mess anyway. I lost two jobs in four months for using my quirk when it was uncalled for. And, well, my family...

Anyway. I should have been terrified of this 'Todoroki-san', even if a little.

Quirk marriage - what if our children don't turn out the way he wants? I should have asked myself that...

I don't quite hate him.

I hate myself.

How could I-?

My children - when did I begin to believe they were him?


	3. Chapter 3 : Nightmares?

**_The yuki-onna..._**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 : Nightmares?**

 _Her white hair tossing, whirling with the snowstorm, the faint blue of frost breaking a smile upon her kimono; at the same time so beautiful and serene, she is but ruthless._

 _Take not her child from her, o ignorant. When into snow she does blow thee, repent thou shall. Rep en t... rep e n t..._

* * *

 _"Enji..."_

A soft, cold whisper blew against his ear. It was so out of place...

 _"Enji..."_

There it was again. It was her voice!

Todoroki Enji sprang angrily out of his futon. His wife was calling him, what had he told her abo-

Impossible!

He had admitted her to the hospital two nights ago!

In a panic, he dialed the hospital's number. A bored, late-night receptionist answered between yawns.

"No sir. Shes fine."

...

"All patients were checked at dinner."

...

"Yes, yes Mr Todoroki, we know about your wife."

... #*!% ...

"I'll be right back to you after checking."

Why does only yelling work?

Not having bothered to turn the lights on, Todoroki stood in the dark corridor on the moonless chilly night. His head lolling to the left, he began to doze off with the receiver in his hand. Like most things in the house, the phone was old - the sort that had a turn-dial and a long coiled wire to the receiver.

It was so cold tonight, wintry - so, so drowsy.

 _"Enji..."_

Her small hands reached up his shoulders, wrapping themselves around his neck. It was so cold, so heavy - the air. His breath grew scarce coming out in gasps.

Tendrils of ice constricted his throat.

'I can't breathe!'

Something was choking his neck.

"Todoroki-san?"

As he yelled out her name he came to the realization that it was the receiver calling out to him.

"Todoroki-san? Todoroki-san?"

The wire had mysteriously entangled itself around his throat.

It was a miracle he didn't melt everything then and there. This was imperative.

"Yeah?", he asks, as gruffly as possible.

" _Uhmm, hmm_ ", did this guy just clear his throat? Rudely?

"Your wife is well and sleeping sedated in our facility.", he says.

"You sure?", Todoroki asks.

"Yes. In fact, the orderly even checked - it _was_ her resting.", he emphasizes. "May I advise you to seek counseling? We have excell-"

With a grunt, he slams the phone not bothering to hear what this man has to say. And tears off the cord. Easier to replace than untangle it.

He was only phoning to make sure she didn't escape and make her way to the hospital where Shouto was.

Noting to do with his bad dream. Or it's implications.

Damned telephone cord.

Massaging his neck, he makes his way back to his room.

Why did she have to do something like this at this stage? Didn't she understand? How could she almost blind his creation?

Prompt action on her mother's part had ensured both the traumatized Shouto and his wailing hysterical wife were treated and separated promptly.

He _had_ to keep her from getting in his way. But then again...she was herself too affected. She hadn't wanted to see anyone but her own mother. And even frozen to near death a doctor who bore hardly a resemblance sans size to himself.

The hospital treated him rather coldly and didn't seem to appreciate the angle of his concerns. And so what if she was dehydrated, bruised and maniacal? 'It' didn't quite fall into the domestic violence category. She _got_ in his way. They couldn't formally charge him with any actual wrongdoing as they'd insinuated.

Then again, if she did have to remain admitted for a long, long time, she might not actually get in his way. Or Shotos.


	4. Chapter 4 : Injury

**_Totally. The yuki onna...from Kwaidan. The idea, vaguely._**

* * *

 **Chapter 4 : Injury**

 _"They found a small fox cub left in the snow...uh, wait_ *yawn* _, no..."_

I have to put my baby brother to sleep...before I doze off. He seems so preoccupied.

 _"A tiny..lonely..fox cub, uhh no wolf cub. It, uh.."_

*yawn*

 _"A lil snow cub, tiny ba_ *yawn* _by..."_

 _"Fuyunee-san?"_

How cute he is! *yawn*

 _"Yes..?"_

 _"When will Mommy come home?"_

A million damn dads! WhaduIdo?

Sleepily rubbing my eyes, I finally peek at my baby brother's bandaged face. To tell him-

Oh no! No, no, no, no good!

 _"Shou-chan! Why're you crying?"._ I'm in total panic mode.

He is weeping buckets! In trying to comfort him, I accidentally freeze his teary cheek. Oh, damn me!

It doesn't seem to affect him though - my clumsy ice, I mean.

 _"Mommy hates me!", he wails._

* * *

"Rest?! Rest my ass!", Todoroki Enji yells at the tiny old doctor sitting on the other side of the desk.

Shrinking not an inch, the tiny old man looks cooly and steadily at the hulking giant through thick glasses.

"Do you think time is going to wait for that kid to rest around? Enough time was wasted! He needs to get back to trai-"

"Mr. Todoroki", the doctor interjects coldly. "The kid either rests or you can give up on his becoming a hero."

"Yo-"

And he cuts Todoroki off again just as the man opens wide his mouth - "Consider this the equivalent of a major injury even pro-heros get. As a child, he is in the growing stage-"

"I know that! That's why-", Todoroki shouts.

"-and if he does not recover the damage will be permanent. Do you understand?", the doctor outshouts, not losing a breath, without a pause.

That seems to hit him. The fiery man mulls over this piece of information for a bit before accepting.

As the old man watches the retreating back of the most troublesome pro-hero, he wonders how he ever had such an angelic child.

* * *

Practice.

Train.

Exercise.

Things Todoroki Enji repeated daily. Beyond his usual pro-hero schedule and personal research. He had by now an established office, several assistants and yet took the headfirst initiative in whatever his office dealt in.

As he enters the gym, mind still preoccupied with the latest case, he does not notice that something was terribly off. Perhaps because the house was completely empty in a long time - no noise, nobody. He takes one step in, reaching out towards the switchboard-

Well, he doesn't notice something's wrong till he suddenly realizes he's staring up at the dark ceiling and gliding faster and faster across the floor on his back.

Subconsciously, when he felt his feet skid over the floor, he activated his quirk to melt firmly into the floor.

Didn't work.

Instead, his feet were propelled forward by some invisible force, throwing him suddenly onto his back and in trying to fix himself to the floor beneath him with excess flames, accelerates on his back for a good long distance.

Till he, by sheer primal instinct, digs his fingers to grab at the floorboards.

So cold!

Ice.

No, snow.

Thick, thick layer of compacted snow.

His palm seized a thick layer of it that was compacted over the floorboard.

What the hell was happening?

Who did this?

Sitting up somehow, skidding a little, Todoroki Enji lets out an enormous fireball of blue-white through the pitch dark room. Travelling across the room in an instant, illuminating the frozen-solid equipment, the flames thaw everything out of the snow. The wooden floor is left sopping wet. Only wet! Nothing was even slightly charred.

Only his wife had such range. But never had she been able to use it!

All his children were staying the week over at his mother-in-laws house.

Snow...snow..?

Something doesn't sit right with him.

Sloshing his way out of the watery mess, he makes his way upstairs towards his room. Ouch! His back is stiff and aching...he'll warm it later.

Tossing his sopping wet clothes into the washbin, he dons his work clothes deciding to return to his office after all.

He pauses by the new hands free phone, wondering if he should call someone.

Held between his head and his shoulder, as the dialtone rings out the number on speedial, he opens wide the door to the gym again and reaches in his hand to turn on the lights.

Everything is dry.

Not a drop of water.

What the-?

Inspecting every equipment, every inch, not even residual moisture?

"Moshi-moshi..?"

In a sudden panic, he abruptly cuts the call.

Was he imagining things?

No, no.

Looking down at the hand holding the phone, he notices the redness, the scratches and small wood splinter below his fingernail. The central floorboard has impressions where his fingers dug into it.

His back was hurting as well. He fell on his back, yes, he did. He remembers. He fell on his back skidding in that damn ice and it still hurts!

Running back upstairs, no traces of water on the steps from the dripping him.

He upturns the wash basket.

His clothes tumble out, bone dry.


	5. Chapter 5 : More Nightmares

**_Everything will eventually fade away. Maybe..._**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 : More Nightmares**

 _"Come on. A hundred more!"_

 _Shouto is flat on the floor, still._

 _"Did you hear me boy?"_

 _Not stirring, unmoving._

 _"Don't dare defy me!", Enji yells, turning fiery. His flaming hand fisted, I know I'm going to hear something other than my ice crack._

 _I freeze him._

 _I try to freeze him._

 _His hand misses._

 _Nobody on the floor._

 _He is sobbing._

 _Behind me._

 _My Shouto is sobbing behind me._

 _"Mamma!"_

 _I turn around to comfort him._

 _NO!_

 _He's writhing on the floor. Looking up at me, crying._

 _Raw, red burned skin._

 _"Mommy hates me!"_

* * *

Dear diary,

They summoned Enji Todoroki to the hospital. (Yep, not dad. I'm "Angry")

Mom apparently had another 'episode'.

Well, honestly, they weren't actually this bad about a few years ago.

I beat up the second boy of the house - yep, _not_ my brother right now. Was loudly complaining on how they both changed since the time Shouto was born. And if that wasn't bad enough, said - "I wish he wasn't born at all!"

And Shouto heard him!

I know my baby Shou-chan is sobbing away up in his room right now. And I can't go there. Dad's got the separation rules up again. I can't see him till next Sunday - two big, big months! I happened to take Shouto to the park two months back. To cheer him up. Didn't dad get it? My baby brother is always so sad, cute little things like him should be happy. Not "pressured" or "stressed". (granny's been teaching me all these new words)

I can't sleep tonight.

Good night to you though, diary.

I trouble you enough.

* * *

She sits there by the window, picking at her scrub with her fingers. Huddled into a ball, looking nervously anywhere but the door where her giant of a husband stands. She can't look. She heard him coming. Stomping down the wooden hall.

He has been talking to her the last few minutes now.

She can't hear.

Only his voice - she can't hear.

The wheelchair tracks rolling, the telephone in the office ringing, birds outside chirping. They sound so mechanical. She strains her ear to catch them. Someone outside is talking loudly - something.

Its so hot. Too hot.

She wants him to go away.

She shudders violently when she hears a heavy footstep take a step into her room. She shrinks against the window pulling herself into a ball.

They later told her she was wailing.

That she froze the new doctor who was supposed to attend to her.

They're wrong.

She couldn't hear it - but it was Enji's voice.

She killed him. She killed her Enji!

She froze him!

They wouldn't tell her! They kept saying she was wrong.

She knows.

It was her Enji - she killed him!

The nurse shakes her head.

Wait - she falls into deep thought. Who'd look after the kids?

Mom. Yes, mom can.

"I can't..."

Her arm is stretched and held straight. Another nurse is holding her, an arm around her shoulders and one hand painfully holding her head back, cooing as if it were soothing.

'Stop it.'

She wants to tell her. Thats what En-

A sharp prick in her arm. _Ouch!_

"I want to go home.", she is crying. Where did that come from?

"Home?"

No. No, no...

I have...no home...

She thinks, as she falls into the deep dark fiery abyss of sleep.


	6. Chapter 6 : Firewoodcutter

**_AN : Thanks..._**

* * *

 **Chapter 6 : Firewoodcutter**

 _The Yukionna, she stood by the open door, ready to fade into the snow._

 _"I no longer can stay with you. My children - take good care of them. Else..."_

 _The fire-woodcutter, he laughed cruelly - arrogant, drunk, confident._

 _She his wife, she was talking down to him?_

 _None of that after so many years of marriage._

 _From the smoldering hearth he flings at her a thick log._

 _The singed white dress and shattered snow scatter out with the raging wind._

* * *

The year they were married. Enji Todoroki had no clear recollection of that one winter.

But he tried. Tried to remember what it was that caught him off-guard.

It was snowing outside.

She told him back then just what snow was, how it was formed. Told him she would show him.

He told her quite plain and clear she couldn't possibly do it - it was beyond her scope of power. As his was a hellfire - pure, uncorrupt - hers was solid ice - plain hard blck of crystal.

Yes, that's what was wrong. She looked nervous and unsure, yet at the same time annoyed and sulky. First time ever she so forcefully was defying _him_. He didn't deign to heed her efforts.

She couldn't do it.

So he said and thats exactly what happened.

No matter how much she tried - huffing, puffing, freezing the house down. Panting, sweating, she collapsed .

"I told you, you can't do it."

She was lying still, on the floor. Shivering.

"Oi, Whats wrong?"

She did not reply. She looked like she was choking. And a little blue.

For the first time ever an inexplicable panic grips Enji Todoroki. An illogical, immense fear. He doesn't know what to do - doesn't know whats wrong. He, the calm and collected and sharp as a blade Enji Todoroki - he is completely at a loss.

As he leans over her, she was gasping. His fingers brushed over her ice-cold face and her white hair. It turned to water as he touched it - on her nose had sat the only small round fragile snowflake.

She shuddered and squirmed as he lifted her into his arms - holding her up against him; it seemed to ease her breathing at least - still wondering what to do. Blankly, he walks towards the phone instinctively hoping someone would tell him.

* * *

The hospital had one good news, one bad.

She was pregnant. She shouldn't use her quirk - it was affecting her, the pregnancy.

To him both sounded good.

To her both bad.

The kid would probably have his quirk.

* * *

Fuyumi loved her little brothers. Especially Shouto - he was always _so_ puny!

She still remembered the day he was born!

So small. Among along all those pipes and tubes, a tiny pink thing.

Only she'd been allowed to tag along with dad and grandma. Mom was ill. They were with the doctor.

She stood across the glass, both hands and face pressing onto it, looking at her newest, littlest brother. Now they'd finally have two teams of two!

Fuyumi recalls some of her mother's strange statements later on. Things such as her not wanting Shouto to be 'his child'.

Now in her late teens - and very susceptible to conjectures - she wondered.

And pondered.

And thought and thought and thought.

"Stop spacing out!"

Bro the first slaps her on the back.

"Fuyune - you just burned my sleeve"

Wailed bro the second.

"She did it again, didn't she?", the first states in exasperation looking over her to check second for injury.

Fuyumi sighs to herself. Even dad had better temper control than she had emotion control over her quirks. You get it - nil.

So, dad.

He stomped off again today.

Shouto was training yet again - pure ice.

Denying dad crap as first would say. It wasn't as if any of them had such powers to even _be_ considered by him.

Dad's given up on _forcing_ Shouto to use his fire quirk by now. He just keeps yelling but leaves off with just that much.

He even once tried making Fuyumi freeze Shouto to force him to use his fire side except - well...she accidentally froze dads right side. Maybe...it could've been either of them.

But Shouto even with his superior control didn't seem like he got a chance to do it. And his reaction too - he didn't do it.

The other brothers had a football match on. Also, their quirks oddly were almost so distinctly different - one a modification of dad's tempered by mom's side quirk and the other's was a modification of mom's.

So, who was it but her and her clumsy control.

Though she'd also received mild training under dad, her fire quirk was quite lacking while her ice was moderate - she'd picked up much from observing mom considering dad always made her feel stupider than she was. Shouto's ice quirk was on par with mom's. In general at least mom's quirk seemed stronger than dads - Dad said that but he never once said mom was good with it. He also never asked her younger brother to help out. Only her. All this confused Fuyumi very much.

Thing is, Fuyumi is certain she formed an ice cage around Shouto.

And only that.

And thing is - it was there - around Shouto. The remains of her cage that he'd imploded with his own ice shield.

Anyway, not that she could've even frozen Shouto considering his speed but...

Dad didn't even realize what hit him!

He was a pro hero - shouldn't he have sensed and countered that ice all over him?

At least it cheered Shouto up for the day.

But strangely enough dad was more traumatized than angry - literally shell-shocked.

He extricated himself, excused himself and was painfully slowly mopping the water he'd just melted off with a towel held in shaking hands.

Fuyumi flinched when he ambled towards and stood in front of her, for a while looking dazed.

She is scared by a dad she has never seen before. Angry - yes. Mean - double yes. Blank - no. Never!

Absent-mindedly he grips her head. She freezes wondering just what was going to happen. She senses Shouto tensing and about to do something.

But dad...

He...tousled her hair and still with an attention fixed elsewhere said - "Go finish your homework"

And left.

What?

What just happened?

She and Shouto exchange confused glances as his heavy footsteps resound up the steps and slam into his room.

* * *

Her father said to finish her homework and so she went and did just that.

Biology - lots of diagrams for assignment. About how quirk mutation affects and doesn't affect conventional genetic rules. One paragraph on blood groups.

So, dad has AB. Mom has O.

She, and her three brothers in sequence have AB, B, A, O.

What a family!

But...

Her textbook says its impossible. Impossible for a father with AB to have a kid with O.

She tells the other two.

"So, Shouto might not be a Todoroki after all?"

 _Now_ they're interested! Meanies! Meaner-than-dad insects!

Anyway - this came at a time they were running out of things to do together. This could be one!

Thankfully for their mischief, neither did they ask an adult(viz grandma) nor looked up more details on blood groups.


	7. Chapter 7 : Fear

**Chapter 7 : Fear**

 _'You thought you knew what it was you wanted. And then one day you aren't sure anymore. But is that really all?'_

 _"..."_

 _'Are you afraid?'_

 _"No!"_

 _Whatever of?_

 _".. #*.."_

 _Not? Oh really?_

 _"Yes!"_

 _Isn't this what you wanted? But, y_ _ou don't know. Isn't it?_

 _"..."_

* * *

And he changes the channel again.

Always a pleasure to watch television with this man.

Especially since All Might was on almost every third channel or advertisement.

"Enji.. Just turn it off"

He does but...

He's looking very surprised.

What now?

Wait...

He didn't say anything? He _always_ says his mind!

"Something wrong?"

"No", he says shaking his head stiffly. Looks away.

I lean back against the backrest and close my eyes. My hands are resting on my enormous belly. This girl's so heavy!

I'm tired.

Doing nothing, yet, I'm tired.

Its warm tonight.

Its always hot here, in this damn fire town.

Or maybe its just the hellfire man sitting on the other end of the sofa.

My eyes are shut. But just barely I can see vague shadows through the corner.

For some reason, I think he's back to looking at me.

I don't understand it sometimes. He has no expression when he does that.

Well, either he grimaces or its back to no expression.

He rarely smiles. Only when boasting.

But...I still don't get it. He sometimes just keeps staring. And saying nothing.

What is he thinking?

And why was he so surprised?

* * *

"Would tea be fine?"

Another clatter. Damn, this vase too!

"Yes", a startled but bored reply. He looks as surprised as she does - as much as he can show it that is.

"I'll be right back."

She exits.

Fuyumi practically crashes out the room.

Shes not clumsy. Fuyumi is just rattled.

An hour ago, she returned home to this nice, quiet, empty house from the hospital. Just missed Shoto must be on his way there.

A minute ago, while she sat amidst some cute, imaginative multiplication assignments, perusing through future mangaka's cyborg drawings, the doorbell rang.

And out there was an unexpected guest.

Why had no one told her?

She can't make this decision.

Well, Ni-kun would tell her she was crazy for making such a big deal about it but...what should she do?

Dad literally texted back the equivalent of who cares, choose whatever(or was that only _her_ interpretation?). Her brothers, well, she can't really ask them. And even if she could, they'll probably turn this into a joke. And dearest Shoto had turned off his phone. He was really getting troublesome of late.

He could at least have given her a heads up!

No matter what he excused himself with later who was he kidding?

And who was dad ki..nah, he's just, maybe of too foul a mood of late. And, maybe, just maybe...despite his efficiency he may have ignored it. After all, say whatever whoever says, the work of all pro-heros had definitely quadrupled. (am not defending dad again...am I?)

The school, any school - it had definitely notified both the brat(Shoto) and the parent(like, there is only one to notify anyway).

How could they? This was _so_ irresponsible.

Not even any indication at breakfast.

Each calmly, cooly went off their way.

Dad didn't really care so long as Shoto became a hero (or did that even matter now?) but Shoto - he'd really made friends for once. Though he only told mom. Or thought he only told mom at any rate.

Her painfully shy, littlest brother - friends!

Not just one!

But that little bratty brother was always running off on his own, getting into trouble...not telling her of late. He would definitely want to go back to U.A. no question. But why was there a question? She didn't like questions! And what does dad's text even mean - what choose?

Like if she says no problem and later he burns the house down?

What was the matter with his deciding anyway? He could at least just say 'yes'. But what if that meant he meant 'no'?

What was she to do?

Dammit!

The kettle whistles shrilly and a burnt metal smell invades the kitchen. The flames almost touched the roof. Dad would kill her!

She dials her elder bro.

'..switched off. Tr-'

Dammit!

She tries breathing in deep. And deeper. What would granny have said?

'Calm down Fuyumi. '

"Calm.", one deepest breath. "Yes, I'm calm. I did this home visit just last week."

Her eyes snap open with the sudden epiphany.

"O shit! Time!"

Theres this Aiwa- well, something sensei, Shoto's homeroom teacher, waiting for her response. And she knows from experience - nope, he doesn't have all day to waste.

* * *

"You will never best All Might anyway."

She said had that?

So coldly? So assertively?

She?

What was she thinking?

He is looking at her - blank. A blank white...No, a white fire of unfathomable rage.

She shivers.

His footsteps seem to make no sound.

Every motion of hers, alas, is painfully, unnecessarily loud. And slow. Too slow.

Walking backward, stumbling, her back hits against the door.

She cannot tear her eyes away from his gaze.

Hands shaking so much, the doorknob doesn't turn.

She winces. He is here, right here.

 _Nowhere to run._

Enji Todoroki - her 'husband' - he trails a finger along her shoulders.

She flinches.

"Why would you say that?", he gently asks. So quietly. Almost a whisper. No expression.

She can hear her own breath - the deep, sharp inhale, the uncertain exhalation. Her fear - in that breath so visible.

His hands released her?

No.

 _No..._

"Answer me!", his voice resounds and vibrates off her small bones.

His angry mouth, his large teeth, his fiery visage. Those veins...

She can't hear him now. She can't think clearly.

It _was_ her fault.

She can't breathe.

It was _her_ fault.

She despised him.

No sound. She can only see him, his demonic mouth opening and closing. His large white teeth contrasting strangely with his contorted red face.

A strange ringing sound has filled her ears.

She cant see herself - her crumpling, bulging face. The whimpering tears. Her hands around his, the nails scratching. His hands around her neck, choking. They don't even feel like hands. More like lead.

This man.

His children.

She was too weak...

Why hadn't she left?

Too weak...

Too...weak...


	8. Chapter 8 : Soundless Sleep

**A/N :** _And this is where I veer off into..._

 **Chapter 8 : Soundless Sleep**

* * *

 _A really large mansion._  
 _Old._  
 _Wooden._  
 _Almost empty._  
 _The cat has seen every passing generation._  
 _Just sitting, staring or sleeping soundlessly._

* * *

Enji Todoroki yawns. He was tired after a long week. His tea does nothing to relieve him of his drowsiness.

His mind knows he shouldn't slip into a slumber - there was still so much work pending.

It kept nagging him - don't.

And nagging.

And nagging.

Yet...

It was soooo warm.

A sleepy summer afternoon.

And silent.

Not quite the sort of silence when none of those things were creating a racket around the house though.

Dead silent. Except for his yawn.

If he were not fighting the invitation of the comforting nap, he would have 'heard' this eerie silence.

Not a creek, nor a whisper, nor a chirp - not a single living sound.

Strange patterns played on the ceiling.

The shadow of a young woman glides by along the corner of his eye - long white hair loose, her pale kimono clumsily trailing.

His eyes so heavy, his throbbing head thrown back; sitting cross-legged against the wall - the bright sunlight flickered as he drifted between sleep and fragmented thought.

Sleep won.

* * *

She was walking down the hospital corridor. Angry.

Annoyed.

But also scared.

Every time someone approached her she brushed them off saying she was going to get something to drink - they let her of late.

But she couldn't tell them she was off to escape the monster in her room.

The last time when she'd run off screaming they hadn't found a thing. Told her she was dreaming. And exchanged glances, nodded a little...

But she hadn't imagined it!

It was there! Right there in her cabinet. It was happily floating about when she opened it this morning.

This time she even dropped her toothbrush.

She hated spiders!

How was she to brush her teeth! They wouldn't be here another three days. She didn't want a hospital toothbrush - they gave her one with hard bristles the first time around. Then when she asked specifically - a soft one the next time. But it was red! Red like his...

She almost crashes into someone coming from the opposite direction.

She hastily apologized and slowed her pace.

So irritated and lost in thought she was, she had begun walking violently fast, not noticing where she was going.

She gets herself some iced tea from the vending machine, ignoring another growing bout of irritation. Her doctor called it 'side-effects'. Her cheerily blithe nurse called her Fuji-san erupting behind her back.

She wanted the cat - that stray her husband always yelled about throwing out. It just stared, just slept around sometimes; let her sit with it and fuss over it. She missed something new every day. That cat, her toothbrush, her hot ginger tea, her clothes, her...

A small pink and white carton sitting on the bottom shelf catches her attention. Her fingers trace the glass as she bends a little - anger fading to a vacant horror, fingers clammy and shivering.

* * *

At some point, his eyes flickered open to a shadow hovering over his slumped self.

Towering over him for once, his puny wife.

She stood, bending, her face just above his, intently staring - her gaze at once fond and malevolent.

He wants to snap at her. Tell her she was just wasting her breath - he wouldn't do it any other way.

And also, wanted to stand up. This - it was a little creepy.

But he cannot move. Frozen - his hands, his legs; even the glare of his eyes!

Her lips softly land on his.

Snow.

Soft, powdery snow - cold, cold, cold!

The shock of that cold jolts him fully awake.

And suddenly the room seems to expand pulling her - it - away from him.

He can see his wintery breath curling like smoke and reach out to the now white crumbling apparition as it seems to move further and further away till it melts into the walls.

And from far away sounds erupted from midway as if a bubble had burst - the washing machine's tumbling, far off vehicles' honking and even a passing aircraft. Even floorboards creaking - that cat was pattering around somewhere again.

"Not Again", he says aloud.

Hallucinations!

Rubbing his eyes violently - mobile at last - Enji Todoroki shakes his head deciding he very badly requires proper sleep and rest.

These were getting worse.

* * *

 _AN : ...family ghosts!_

 _And, peculiar story?_

 _Well, it is a ghost story after all._


End file.
